52 BEWICK’S SWAN. 
Nepal), but once in the mid-winter of 1828, when the apparition 
suggested a new version of the well-known hexameter 
‘Rara avis in terrts, alboque stmillima cygno.” 
Outside our Empire this species seems to occur on the 
Caspian and throughout Siberia, to be found in Mongolia, and 
to be even more widely and generally distributed in winter 
in China than the Hooper. ike this latter it alsamecemns 
in Japan. It has, however, been so constantly confounded 
with the Hooper that its real area of distribution is still 
quite undetermined. It inhabits the more northern portions 
ef Europe in summer, migrating southwards in winter, stragglers 
having occurred as far south as Marseilles. As yet I do not 
think that it has been observed in Italy or the more eastern 
portions of the Mediterranean or in Northern Africa. 
GENERALLY I gather that Bewick’s Swan is even more of a cold 
region species than the Hooper, and has a somewhat more 
northerly average range. 
This species is ina wild state very shy and difficult of 
approach, more so if possible than the Hooper ; but in captivity 
it is said to be very gentle, never molesting other Water Fowl as 
the Mute Swan often does. The call is said by some to bea low 
deep-toned whistle once repeated, but Naumann represents it by 
the syllable “kuk,” uttered many times. In England they have 
not unfrequently been mistaken for Geese, and when swimming 
their carriage is intermediate between that of the Mute Swan 
and Goose, wanting alike “the grace and majesty” of the former. 
On the land, however, where by choice they spend much of their 
time, they show to greater advantage, and winged birds will run 
welland fast. It seems on the whole to be more of a marsh and 
narrow water species and less of an open water bird than the 
Hooper. Their food, like that of the other Swans, seems to 
consist of seeds, stems, and corms of rushes, and various kinds 
of aquatic herbs, together with, perhaps, worms and larve of 
insects. 
Like the other species this Swan seems to migrate both by 
day and night. 
I HAVE met with no reliable details of the nidification of this 
species, though recently Messrs. Seebohm and Harvey-Brown 
brought home eggs from the Petchora, which they consider 
to belong to this bird. What Naumann and Thienmann 
give of their breeding in Iceland refers really to the Hooper. 
Doubtless they pair for life, as is I believe the case with the 
other species, and construct a large nest of rushes, grass and 
aquatic herbage, in similar situations to those of the Mute Swan. 
Like the Hooper they probably repair an old nest in preference 
to building a new one; they lay (if S. and H.-B. are correct,) 
